ZetrOZ has developed a prototype novel, miniature, portable, high-power, ultrasound system for would healing. Wound healing is a major clinical issue, and can present significant clinical challenges both when wounds are acute--occurring due to trauma, burns, surgery, or due to more chronic health problems. Wound healing is an intricate fibroproliferative response to repairs damaged tissue following injury. This process is fragile and susceptible to interruption or failure, leading to non-healing wounds. Historically, wounds have been historically treated in a sub-optimal fashion with basic wound care products designed to cover wounds and absorb exudates. Ultrasound (a safe, commonly used, FDA-approved treatment modality) has been shown to have beneficial effects on factors associated with tissue healing in both in vitro and in vivo animal models, including promotion of histamine release, angiogenesis, and collagen deposition (thereby increasing wound breaking strength), and ultimately results in a reduction in wound size. Although ultrasound therapy has been previously demonstrated to accelerate wound healing, conventional techniques utilize shorter bursts of high-intensity treatments. Such treatment is typically limited to administration by a medical provider. In contrast to current technologies, our device significantly reduces the size, cost, and power requirements of ultrasound therapy when compared to traditional ultrasound devices. The system can deliver therapeutic acoustical energy waves at lower voltages than those in conventional ultrasound systems. During this project we aim to demonstrate that a human wearable low intensity therapeutic ultrasound system enhances wound healing. This will be accomplished through testing the system on a single battery charge in an animal cadaver. We will also demonstrate that low intensity therapeutic ultrasound improves wound healing, as measured by therapy on the rate and extent of epithelialization and granulation tissue formation (the major components in human wound healing) in wild-type and diabetic murine excisional wound models. The proposed experiments will investigate two different power levels to further understand impact of intensity on would healing.

Public Health Relevance

This project will benefit public health by developing an interactive training system for emergency medical technicians (EMTs). By improving the accuracy, engagement, and realism of EMT training exercises, we will help to improve EMT skills overall and thereby provide better emergency care to the general public.